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Saeras
Situated on the southern reaches of Thyrin, the Primarchy of Saeras (SAIR iss) is a land of rolling plans, jagged moutains, and thick forests that range from heavy undergrowth to mucky swampland. Nonetheless beautiful in its own way, Saeras is a hardier land for a hardier stock of humanity. Cities of sandstone and shale with fortifications of granite and steel stand strong along the courses of the river Rolmeas and its tributary Resmea. The population of Saeras proper, primarily of human stock, is ruled by a hereditary leader known as the Primus, who is advised by the Tricaea. The three-person advisory council is composed of the heads of the three ruling houses, which are in turn advised by the Populari, a body of politicians elected by the nations many guilds. The guilds and related merchant houses, however, hold the most direct power over the populace day-to-day. The Saerasi people are proud and athletic, raised to enjoy contests of strength, athleticisim, and martial prowess. They are also students of history and war, recently fascinated with the new histories available now that free communication has been established between the continents of Thyrin and Ceilar. The Saerasi believe that the key to victory in the contests of the future is knowledge of the strategies, victories, and defeats of the past. The only long-term diplomatic relationship that Saeras has maintained over the centuries is with the Thuirzar "cloud dwarves" of the Noble March Mountains to their east. The Saerasi admire the ability of the Thuirzar and their "Thunderous Duke" to reside and work among the electrical storms and static-charged clouds that surround the peaks of the Noble March, and the Thuirzar admire the Saerasi's strength, stamina, and willingness to leave them more or less alone except for occasions of trade and commerce. The River Gnomes that reside in the far western reaches of Searasi along the Whispering River where the human nation borders the Murmuring Forest are, for the most part, left alone by the Saerasi. They are not recognized as citizens of the nation but neither are they seen as a threat, and because of their size and stature, most of the Saerasi see them as insignificant... and the River Gnomes like it that way. They maintain trade relations with Saeras, but have little more in the way of a formal relationship. Saeras was perhaps the nation most wounded by the rise and fall of the archangel Az during the Third Incursion of Kaos. Their people had been misled by Melaryss man Ullaryen into near full conversion to his worship, and the loss of their primary deity affected the morale of the country greatly. Worship of the storm eidolon Eshara, first brought to the Primarch's attention by the Thunderous Duke of the Thuirzar, has grown to fill much of that void as the Saerasi desperately seek a god or goddess that will help them reunite as a people after the betrayal of their false god. With the fall of Az, the Primus was forced to admit that Saeras should be more aware of the happenings outside of its borders. In response, the Saeasi government began to pursue diplomatic relationships with the outside world, sending ambassadors to the Seawn, Kæryn, Korvis, and the Rakastani Imperium. The Imperial Rakshasa, having few such overtures and fewer allies, were quick to open talks with such a strong, militaristic nation. There only real success in establishing a diplomatic tie to a human nation in Ceilar, however, has been with Korvis, who were also quick to seize the opportunity to gain allies on Thyrin. That allegiance has in turn undermined any chance they had of establishing solid diplomatic ties to Kæryn and to a lesser extent the government Seawn, which was already hesitant because of Saeras' growing relationship with the Rakshasa of the Imperium. The resistance of other human nations to agree to an alliance has, to some extent, given the Primus the excuse he heeds to belay such efforts and turn the main focus of his attention towards rebuilding his country's infrastructure and military. After all, if such efforts are more trouble than they are worth, why bother? Nevertheless, the Saerasi guilds and merchant houses continue to reach outside of their borders looking to improve their commercial relations with the rest of the world.